The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Plenty of music to enjoy all weekend long
The richness of the blues is amply illustrated in Connecticut this week. Across the state major acts are coming in. As always local talent keeps a busy schedule.
JWJones, a Canadian blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and band leader, is at 41 Bridge Street Live on Friday. He has received a number of awards and accolades. He is a Juno Award nominee, Billboard magazine Top 10 Selling artist, and winner of the Blues Foundation’s award for “Best SelfProduced CD” for his release ‘High Temperature’ in 2017.
Jones’ first recording contract was signed with CrossCut Records (Germany) in 2000, who released his first seven CDs in Europe. He was the first artist signed to the NorthernBlues Music label in Toronto and released his first six recordings with the label. Jones has also worked with Ruf Records in the USA, and Blind Pig Records.
It is his energetic guitar work that keeps fans coming back. Touring and recording keep him busy. As he continues to evolve as one of Canadas most versatile bluesmen, with one foot in the traditional blues espoused by the likes of Howlin’ Wolf sideman Hubert Sumlin and harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite and blues contemporaries Robert Cray, he continues to challenge and raise his standards through his recordings and the dates that he clocks in on the road.
On Friday, the FTC Warehouse has Delbert McClinton, and he heads to Infinity Music Hall in Hartford Saturday. The multiGrammy Award winner McClinton has managed to live his dream for more than six decades. He has been called “The Godfather of Americana Music and a “musician’s musician.”
The Austin Chronicle calls him “Texas’ greatest living embodiment of amorphous eclecticism,” and Billboard calls him “one of America’s richest artistic treasures.”
But it is what fans call him that matters. His shows are fan favorite and diverse enough to stay away from any easy definition but fun. He has been nominated for Texas State Musician, a highlyacclaimed state appointment akin to poet laureate. McClinton will be receiving the international Nobelity Project’s 2019 Feed the Peace Award, and will be honored with a star in the Paramount Theatre’s Walk of Stars on Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas. He will start the year, celebrating his 25th anniversary Sandy Beaches Cruise, the longest running and most successful of the music cruises in existence, and before the year ends, he plans to release his 20th studio album, celebrating his 62nd year on stage. This perennial road warrior shows no signs of slowing down, with a full 2019 tour calendar.
Infinity Music Hall Norfolk has its share of shows this week. Saturday, Satisfaction, The World’s #1 Rolling Stones Tribute Band will be there. Sunday, John Mayall, the British Blues legend is at FTC Stage One Thursday, he makes another state stop. Wednesday, the Travers Brothership are putting on another Infinity free show. Thursday, it is Donavon Frankenreiter. Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center has Satisfaction, The Rolling Stones Show on Friday.
Saturday, it is another Shaboo Reunion this Saturday at the Jillson Square Shaboo Stage in Willimantic. The Shaboo Reunion Salutes Woodstock 50 with a lineup worthy of the name. Think of Canned Heat, the iconic 60’s band who headlined at the original Woodstock in 1969 and are known for their hippieanthem “Going Up the Country” and other worldwide hits.
Add a Connecticut favorite, an eclectic cult favorite: NRBQ. Known for their smash hits Get Rhythm, Ridin’ in My Car, Shake Rattle & Roll, I Want You Bad, and many more and the party is just getting started..
No reunion is over until David Foster’s Shaboo AllStar Revue takes the stage. Special guests include John Cafferty and Michael “Tunes” Antunes from the Beaver Brown Band, Kal David with Lauri Bono from the Fabulous Rhinestones, Mike Finnigan, The Uptown Horns and if he is true to form, more guests.
You can catch Kal David with Lauri Bono & The Real Deal Friday at BlackEyed Sally’s. FTC Stage One will have NRBQ on Sunday.
The CHIRP Concerts at Ballard Park Ridgefield have a double header this week. Tuesday, The Sarah Potenza Band is in town. Potenza is a colossalvoiced singer who merges her oldschool
On Thursday, Johnny Nicholas is the CHIRP star. Nicholas has spent a lifetime soaking up the flavor of such vibrant music scenes as Chicago, Southwest Louisiana and Texas. His music is fullspectrum Americana, a rich gumbo of not just blues, but cajun, swing, folk, and barrelhouse rock ’n’ roll.
College Street Music Hall on Tuesday brings in Hot Tuna along with Dave Mason. The Tipping Chair Tavern has a late Friday show with Jen Durkin & the Business at 10:30 p.m. On Wednesday, Eran Troy Danner plays solo acoustic.
Sunday, Otis and the Hurricanes at 5:30 p.m. play Weston Historical Society Barn. At the Huntington Green in Shelton on Sunday, Tony Ferrigno Band takes part in Hope for the Warriors program at 3 p.m.
BYRAC brings in what can only be called a unique weekend. Saturday it is The Clean Earth Project Pleasure Beach Cleanup. Then Sunday, you can be part of Port 5 Wiener Fest 2019.
Hamburg Fair is keeping Dan Stevens busy. Friday he plays at 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 12 p.m.
As schedules and times change, it is good practice to call the club and confirm.